Devices such as electrical motors include a laminated armature and slotted commuter that rotate within a magnetic field. The armature includes a plurality of conductors that extend across the length of a laminated assembly. Preferably, this conductor resides within open ended slots in the laminated assembly.
As these conductors extend out of a slot, they need to be placed in electrical communication with the appropriate conductor of a commuter. In some instances, the conductors are not aligned with the appropriate conductor of the commuter (i.e., the laminated slots are rotationally spaced apart from the commuter conductor). In such cases, the end of the conductor extending through the slot needs to be bent so that it can be placed in contact with the commuter conductor.
In some fabrication processes, the slot conductors are compressed downward as the armature is rotated. The free end of the slot conductor is bent over from the angular location of the slots to the angular location of the commuter conductor. It is common to bend the slot conductors in a linear fashion, such that for each incremental rotational movement of the armature, the slot is compressed by a fixed amount. Often this bending profile is imposed by a mechanical cam and follower.
However, with the introduction of improved materials and the ability to generate sufficient mechanical power from smaller motors, the linear profiles can often be inadequate in terms of achieving a proper final alignment of the slot conductor relative to the commuter conductor, and further inadequate with regards to management of the bending stresses in the slot conductor.
What is needed are improved methods and apparatus for modern technology motors. The present invention provides this in novel and nonobvious ways.